Date:  Fri, 1 Mar 1996 14:08:50 -0300

From:  Chris Brooks <chris[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]HSCC.KUNIV.EDU.KW>

Subject: Re: Question: regional volubility



Interesting question, Allan. How would one measure speed of delivery?

Phonemes per minute? Also, different phonemes would have different

lengths, wouldn't they? I believe "long" vowels do actually last

longer than short vowels in addition to their different quality or

place of formation in the mouth (in English at least)



Anecdotally and within my limited experience, Cuban Spanish appears to

be the most rapid; and I haven't heard anything yet to match the

headlong rush of syllables delivered by my Malayalam-speaking

acquaintances here in Kuwait. Also, they seem to not open their

mouths very much when speaking! How could a person ever learn this

language--as opposed to acquire it as a native speaker? Any reactions?



Onthe other end of the scale, are there languages whose speakers are

noted for their especially slow delivery?



chris brooks / kuwait